Shire of Corrigin & Corrigin CRC Newsletter - Edition No.8 - 28 November 2016

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Lyn Baker
Since my last notes in
the Windmill something
has changed in the
world. The election of
Donald Trump has set
o u r f o r m e r
unde r s t and i ng o f
“democracy” on its
head. The media, the
pollsters and almost
everyone else got it so
wrong. The 49% of eligible Americans who did not
vote – well, what can you say? Oops! Were those
people so disenchanted with the offering that they
refused to choose between two reportedly unsuitable
candidates? (Which then begs the question – How did
those two reportedly unsuitable candidates get to that
position?) Or were those non-voters just completely
switched off from the whole process – do they not
care, do they not value their vote?
This result also tells us something about our
Australian electoral system. While it may not be
perfect, it appears to be far more “democratic” than
the USA’s. Compulsory voting, while a pain in the
neck at times, ensures that most people have their
say. And hopefully, that those who vote take their
responsibility seriously. It also tells us that money is
power all over the world, but that the Electoral
College system feeds that power and allows
“celebrity” to overcome even the disdain of their own
party.
Far more importantly, however, the USA result tells
us that it is not alright to rest on one’s laurels; that our
leaders must listen to the people and heed the
warnings of the masses. People who are
unemployed, poor, and getting poorer, have plenty to
be aggrieved about – and politicians had better listen.
Trump’s supporters were angry about many things,
not the least of which was the international
“policeman” role that the USA carries out. They
believe that that role makes Americans targets of
terrorism and lone attacks. They wish to see more
“introspective” policies where the priority returns to
home – and leaves other nations to fend for
themselves.
Which nation is going to fill that void?
I would hope that Donald Trump succeeds – the world
needs him to succeed. It will be an interesting 4
years, and quite a wild ride, I would expect. I hope he
will surround himself with moderate and intelligent
advisers; that he can resist the temptation to engage
in “twitter-wars” and other social media carryings-on. I
hope he will dispense with the misogynistic and racist
language. And I hope that someone keeps him away
from The Button!
On a more local note, harvest is progressing with very
mixed results in the region – when such wonderful
crops are decimated by frost it is a distressing and
devastating result. If some clever person can come
up with a solution, thousands of farmers would be
really grateful!
Please continue to keep an eye on your mates and
point them in the right direction if things start to go
awry.
This will be my last President’s note for this year and I
wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year. Please be safe.
Lyn
LYN BAKER
Email: Phone: 9065 7053
MESSAGE FROM SHIRE PRESIDENT
Strengthening our community now to grow and prosper into the future